Cayo Central Area Rep. Says Naturalized Guats. Should be Allowed to Re-register

Rene Montero

It is likely that the latest re-registration figures released by the Elections and Boundaries Department include applications submitted by naturalized Guatemalans. As the process continues, several groups are opposing the re-registration of Guatemalan nationals including those who have been in the country before independence. It’s a raging debate among the diasporans as well as in various sectors in Belize and may end up in court. On Monday, we asked Minister Rene Montero for his opinion on the issue.

Rene Montero, Area Representative, Cayo Central

“Once they hold nationality papers they have a right to register. They are Belizeans. It is both political parties that registered them from when they started to register, the registration process. They register Guatemalans. They registered from other countries once they qualified and you meet all the requirements to be nationalized. If you hold a nationality papers being whatever you are, being Guatemalan, Hondurans, Central American, Russian or what, you are entitled to register. You are a Belizean.”

Hipolito Novelo

“But the key difference between Guatemala and those countries is what our constitution states that we cannot give Belizean Nationality to someone who is from a country which does not recognize Belize’s sovereignty and territory.”

Rene Montero

“Be it as it may. They have a legal document to state that they are nationalized Belizeans.”

Viewers please note: This Internet newscast is a verbatim transcript of our evening television newscast. Where speakers use Kriol, we attempt to faithfully reproduce the quotes using a standard spelling system.